I have a question for someone who is in the program. Does the program follow the academic calender, will you guys have off between the fall and spring semesters and for holidays?

The program SORT OF follows the academic calendar. Here's a rough sketch of what to expect with respect to the ABSN program timewise:

SUMMER: 7 weeks more or less. Orientation is last week of June and it's @ 4 days of presentations and computer training. Then classes begin prob right after July 4th. You will be in class until mid-Aug. Classes/labs are Mon-Thurs from 9-4 generally, Mondays may be until 6 due to a math class. Clinical will be on Fri/Sat/Sun (usually once a week on one of these days but may be on two days some weeks depending on your prof - you will always have 7 clinicals so if you have 2 clinicals one weekend you will prob have a weekend off during the summer).

FALL: One week break between summer and fall. Lectures for Psychiatric, OB/Peds and Research are Mon and Wed to start, Tues/Thurs/Sat/Sun are reserved for clinicals. You will have TWO clinical days in the fall: Psychiatric (Tues or Thurs) AND either OB or Peds (which are each half semester long) on Thurs or Sat or Sun (this depends on your placement). In early Nov, you will begin to have Fri classes in Pharm and Path which will actually go into the Spring. By the time Path and Pharm begin, OB and Peds should be completed or almost completed (12 credits worth between the two). There is also another 1 cr. course called Healthcare Policy, but not sure when that is starting yet.

SPRING: (This is all speculatory as I have not gone through it yet): I know for a fact that there is ~2-3 weeks off between fall and spring for the holiday break. I think we will be done with all fall classes and finals on 12/16 and we will return on 1/4, something like that with Path and Pharm only, the rest of the spring classes begin late Jan (Med-surg is the only clinical course in the official spring semester I think, along with path & pharm and some other lecture courses). Then as I understand it, there are only 10 weeks in the Spring then capstone begins (which is the nursing practicum) and that takes us into May I think, then we do Community Health into June and then WE. ARE. DONE! Then NCLEX prep begins ...

Now that I have procrastinated enough for today (note, no clinical or lecture today but I have work to do ) ... I should get back to my books!!

WOOOHOOOO!!! so HAPPYYY to see this thread!!! HII EVERYONE!! HIII PACOOOO!!!! DD

So I was rejected last year for the 1-yr and waitlisted for the 2-yr, which I never heard anything after that... I was kinda depressed... but HERE I AM re-applying AGAIN!! I had recommendations from this very nice MD I worked with, Chief of Pediatrics who is also an MD, and one from my undergrad SBU professor...

this year I'm just gonna get all my letters from MD's... replacing the professor with another MD who is also the Assistant Chief of Pediatrics. I work with her very closely so hope this helps a little... I was actually was struggling between this MD or this Professor from the SBU nursing school. I took Group Theory with her this past summer and got an A, but the class is only 2 credits and we only met 4 times... and we didn't even have alot of communications... so I guess the MD might be better? any opinions?

OMGGGG cant wait to know if I can meet anyone of you in person next summer!!!

My company has said that if I get my nursing degree, they'd be happy to have me work for them as a nurse!! (assuming the hierarchy that exists there now remains!!) I'll have to get through it first, of course, but that felt awesome to hear!!

Applying again this year for the ABSN, hoping the changes to my essay, letters and additional classes will help. Not looking forward to the long wait, but hopefully it will be a bit shorter than last year since the deadline is earlier. Best of luck to everyone!!